Theories defining compulsive buying behavior
In literature compulsive buying behavior is studied under individual social psychological perspective and individual psychological prospective mainly. Socio-cultural theory, social learning theory, social cognitive theory, social comparison theory, Affluenza falls in social psychological perspective while as Symbolic self-completion theory and other psychological theories belongs to individual psychological prospective.
Symbolic Self-Completion Theory
Wicklund and Gollwitzer’s (1982) advocated self-concept as the fundamental notion which induce consumer to go for impulse buying. Social psychological function is fulfilled by impulse purchase when it leads to enhanced self-image so consumer purchases
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Underlying assumption of behavioral learning is that individual’s specific behavior is under the influence of environment but cognitive learning proposes that consumer behavior is significantly influenced by psychological factors. Cognitions and internal thoughts interlink learning theory with cognitive developmental theories. Conclusively social learning advocates that both environmental and psychological factors influence consumer behavior. According to social cognitive theory individuals learn behavior through the interaction of environment and personal characteristics (Rotter, 1990; Stewart, 1994). It also explains how individuals develop and sustain specific behavioral pattern. In contemporary complex environment contribution of social cognitive theory is significant in developing understanding of effective learning processes for behavior learners. It also explains that individuals acquire knowledge through observation and social interaction (Groome, 1999; Moital, 2006). In social cognitive perspective individuals are controlled by internal and external stimuli in developing their behaviors. Social learning is a continuous process and depends upon three components cognition, behavior and environment (Parraga, 1990). Human are considered as both products of the surrounding and developer of …show more content…
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Dittmar, H., and Drury, J. (2000). Self-image–is it in the bag? A qualitative comparison between “ordinary” and “excessive” consumers. Journal of Economic Psychology,
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Dittmar, H. (2005a). A new look at “compulsive buying”: Self–discrepancies and materialistic values as predictors of compulsive buying tendency. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 24(6), 832-859.
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Elliott, R. (1994). Addictive consumption: Function and fragmentation in postmodernity. Journal of Consumer Policy, 17(2), 159-179.
Evans, K. R., Christiansen, T., and Gill, J. D. (1996). The impact of social influence and role expectations on shopping center patronage intentions. Journal of the Academy of
Marketing Science, 24(3), 208-218.
Faber, R. J., O’Guinn, T. C., and Krych, R. (1987). Compulsive consumption. Advances in
Consumer Research, 14(1),
Alexander and Shaler make the observation that the current stance has many celebrating free markets for their advancement while ignoring the connection it has to dislocation and addictions. Additionally, there is constant attention drawn, with medical reasoning and facts, to how addictions are individual problems, either medical or criminal (Paragraph 12). Society is on a search to fix social issues yet they have not found one of the right culprits: addictions. People are living with damaged families and social ties or none at all and they are left to self-medicate without the correct tools they need to find the cure. All that is a toxic mix resulting in addictions that are further tearing apart and tearing down what little there is left.
Solomon, M. R. (2012). Consumer behavior: Buying, having, and being (10th ed.). Upper Saddle River, N.J: Prentice Hall.
Many theories have been thought of over the years to attempt to explain why people behave the way they do. Many questions were brought up when thinking about that and the social learning theory is a popular theory in explaining this. Nobody really thought of the social learning theory too much until Albert Bandura wrote his idea of it. He actually wrote a book called “Social Learning Theory.” In this book, he states that behavior is learned from the environment through the process of observational learning(Saul McLeod).
It is a unique technique As technology gets more advanced, people use cameras, tracking devices in the stores to track customers shopping behavior. The retailers apply every detail that they get from anthropologists to get people to buy their products. Some people claim that the surveillance of consumers by retail anthropologists is manipulative and unethical. However, the claim is not entirely true. Many retailers use the data they get from anthropologists and apply it to their store to create great experiences for their customers, encourage customers to revisit, and ultimately improve business performance.
The social learning theory states, that an individual learn behavior through observing their environment as a child. “Without the process of reasoning observational learning cannot happen. Children witness the people around them behaving and acting in numerous ways. People that are being observed are best known as the “model”. In todays’ society children are surrounded by countless influential models, such as their mother and father within the family, characters on television, friends that they associate with and teachers at school. These people provide behavior examples that children watch closely and later imitate. Ki...
According to Social Learning Theory, Bandura (1989) suggested cognitive factors cannot be overlooked if learning is needed to be understood. Bandura has also noted that while reward and punishment substantially shape one 's personality, cognition has as much impact as they do. Also, the principles of behavioural approach have mainly been tested on animals. It implies some findings may not be applicable to a human being, which as a creature is much more complex than an animal.
Personal preference is another factor as some people prefer variety of goods whereas others prefer not having too many choices at all.
Raven, B., (2008). The bases of power and the power/interaction model of interpersonal influence. Analysis of Social Issues and Public Policy, Vol. 8, No. 1, pp 1-22.
Social Learning accentuates the predominantly power of learning through social rewards and punishments, together with indirect reinforcements and modeling. Social Cognitive theories build on social theories and reflects that individual’s cognitive processes are influenced by behavioral associations. “Social learning theorists claim that the way that people think, plan, perceive and believe is an important part of learning. Social learning theorists claim that the way that people think, plan, perceive and believe is an important part of learning.” (Studentuk) Conditioning theories undertake direct linking between behavior and learning whereas Cognitive theories permits for the learning process to be altered by
4. Research shows that consumer behavior is clearly influenced by self-concept, the way a person feels and thinks about himself or herself.
Consumerism is defined as “the theory that an increasing consumption of goods is economically desirable” (“Consumerism”). Its primary motivation is the idea that if one does not have all that money can buy, then he or she cannot be happy. This school of thought has become an integral part of modern society not only in the United States, but internationally as well. While the exact source of this term and ideology are debatable, it is certain now that consumerism is here to stay, intertwining with all aspects of American culture.
Behavior and social learning are two theories that are inherently intertwined. Behavior to some extent is taught for social reasons, and social learning can very much shape and create behaviors. While behavior is something intentionally taught, social learning can teach and reinforce many unintentional behaviors, such as dishonesty or aggression. In order to adequately discuss these two interrelated topics, theory exploration is in order.
While researchers can determine consumer behavior quite easily, it is almost impossible to get accurate and reliable data on why people buy what they do. How in the world can we figure out why consumers make the decisions in purchases they make, when we can only predict motives? Well, everything tends to be linked to a psychological trait that can help define the behavior of consumers.
Impulse buyers are the kind of shoppers that will go crazy when they enter the doors of a shopping mall. When they walk into the store they can 't control themselves from buying everything in sight. It happens
James, Fredric. 1988. "Postmodernism and Consumer Society." In Studies in Culture: An Introductory Reader, ed. Ann Gray and Jim McGuigan. London: Arnold, 1997, pp. 192-205.